Parts for your 2009 Toyota Hiace-Strut mounts

2009 Toyota Hiace strutmounts: what’s fitted and what to service instead

Short answer: a 2009 Toyota Hiace doesn’t use strutmounts. Toyota’s own technical material for the H200 series (2004–2019) — including the Hiace Repair Manual suspension section and the Toyota Electronic Parts Catalogue for KDH/TRH 200 variants — specifies a front double-wishbone set-up with a separate shock absorber and spring arrangement, not a MacPherson strut. Because it isn’t a strut-type front end, there’s no rotating top strut mount or strut-top bearing like you’d see in many passenger cars.

On the Hiace, steering and cornering loads are handled through the upper and lower control arms and their ball joints. The shock absorber’s top is simply bushed and bolted to the body or tower — it doesn’t act as a structural member for the hub nor does it carry steering rotation. That’s the key reason strutmounts aren’t used on this model year Hiace.

What should owners and techs look at instead of “strut tops”? Routine servicing should focus on the front-end wear points that do the real work on a Hiace:

• Upper and lower ball joints
• Control arm bushes
• Front shock absorbers and upper shock bushes
• Stabiliser (sway) bar bushes and links
• Steering rack mounts, inner and outer tie-rod ends
• Front wheel bearings and alignment settings

Tell-tales that these parts need attention include front-end clunks over speed humps, a shimmy through the wheel, tramlining or wander on coarse-chip roads, uneven tyre wear, or a creak when turning at low speed. If someone mentions “strut-mount noise” on a 2009 Hiace, it’s more likely a tired shock top bush, a loose sway-bar link, or play in a ball joint.

A sensible approach for Aussie and Kiwi conditions is to inspect all front bushes and joints at every service, or at least every 10,000–15,000 kilometres. Many vans benefit from fresh front shocks around the 80,000–120,000 kilometre mark, depending on loads and road conditions. After any suspension work, a proper wheel alignment is a must to keep tyres happy and steering straight.

Bottom line: while “2009 Toyota Hiace strutmounts” get searched a lot, the part itself doesn’t apply to this vehicle. Focus on the Hiace’s actual double-wishbone components and it’ll stay tight, quiet, and safe under load.

Popular questions about 2009 Toyota Hiace strutmounts

Does a 2009 Toyota Hiace have strut mounts?

No. The 2009 Hiace runs a double-wishbone front suspension, not a MacPherson strut. That means there’s no strut-top bearing or strutmount assembly. Instead, it has a separate shock absorber with simple mounting bushes, and steering loads go through ball joints and control arms.

If you’re hearing a knock or creak up front, the usual suspects are the shock top bush, sway-bar links or bushes, control arm bushes, or a worn ball joint — not a failed strut mount.

What should be serviced instead of strut mounts on a 2009 Hiace?

Prioritise the real wear items: upper and lower ball joints, control arm bushes, front shocks and their top bushes, sway-bar bushes/links, and the steering tie-rod ends and rack mounts. These parts carry the loads a strutmount would handle on a strut car.

Check them every service, or at least every 10–15,000 kilometres. Replace shocks when they’re weepy or the van porpoises over bumps, and always get an alignment after suspension work to protect your tyres.

What noises get mistaken for strut-mount issues on a Hiace?

Commonly: a dull clunk from a loose sway-bar link, a creak from dry control arm bushes, or a knock from a worn upper or lower ball joint. A tired shock top bush can also thump on sharp hits. None of these involve a strutmount because the Hiace doesn’t use one.

A quick driveway check — bounce test, visual look for split bushes or weeping shocks, and feeling for play in joints with the wheel lifted — often points to the real culprit.